Friction-clutch.



A. OHARVIN.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 190B.

Patented Mar. 2. 1909.

Flq. 2.

AUGUSTE OHARVIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed July 1'7, 1908. Serial No. 4%,144.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Auensrn Cnnsvm, a citizen of the Republic of France, of 14 Passsage Choiseul, in the city of Paris, Republic of France, have invented a Friction-Clutch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a gradual clutch device for motor cars and other similar purposes characterized by the fact that the actuation of the driven shaft by the driving one is due to the locking of a conical plate connected with the driven shaft, through yielding or flexible blades curved at one end, arranged along the generating lines of a cone and carried by the driving shaft. This arrangement has over all those heretofore known the advantage that the clutching and 'unclutching operations can be effected in a progressive and certain m anncr with the minimum of strain or power. This arrangement is represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows partly in. elevation and partly in cross section, one of the forms of the invention. Fig. 2 is part sectional plan of the same.

According to these figures a is the driving shaft to which is keyed a plate or disk 7) the periphery of which is provided with recesses 0 located at an equal distance apart and in each of which is secured one of the ends of the flexible blades (Z. These blades are arranged according to the generating lines of a cone and their hooked free ends extend toward the periphery of another cone-shaped plate 6 on the driven shaft f. This shaft f can move lengthwise in relation to the shaft c in any suitable manner as, for instance, by means of a sleeve 9.

A spring 1' located. in a central recess of the plate 7) and interposed between the ends of the two shafts a and f, tends to separate the two plates b and c the one from the other thereby causing the clutching operation to take place.

A ball 71, is interposed between the spring and one of the shafts with the purpose of avoiding any friction of the said spring.

It will be easily understood that in virtue of the special arrangement of the converging blades 11, the clutching and unclutching operations can be effected without any strain, by a simple pressure and not by wedging, as in the other heretofore known systems.

The number of flexible blades used may of course vary.

Claims:

1. in a friction clutch, in combination, a frusto-oonical element, a series of blades secured to the conical face of said element and projecting therefrom, said blades being arranged to continue the conical outline of said element and being provided with inturned free ends, and a second element movable axially of said first named element and disposed within the confines of said blades, said second element being of less diameter than the first element and in its active position. engaging frictionally with said blades adjacent the inturned free ends thereof, one of said elements driving the other.

2. In a friction clutch, in combination, a frustoconical element having a plurality of longitudinally disposed recesses in its conical face, a series of blades disposed singly in each recess and projecting from said element along lines to continue the conical outline of said element, said blades having inturned free ends, and a second frusto-conical element disposed within the confines of said blades, of smaller diameter than the first named element and movable axially of said first named element into or out of frictional contact with said blades adjacent the inturned ends thereof, one of said elements driving the other.

3. In a friction clutch, in combination, a rotatable element, a series of blades projecting longitudinally therefrom, said blades having a frusto-conical arrangement and converging outwardly and a second element disposed wholly within the confines of said blades, of smaller diameter than the first named element and movable axially of said first named element, said second element in its active position, engaging frictionally with said blades adjacent the outer ends thereof, one of said elements driving the other.

4. In a friction clutch, in combination, a rotatable element having a centrally located shaft and a recess coaxial with said shaft, a series of blades projecting longitudinally from said element and having a frusto-conical arrangement, a second element disposed Within the confines of said blades and movable axially of said first element into and out of frictional engagement with said blades, said second element having its shaft extended to engage in said recess, a coil spring in said recess acting to hold'said second element normally in frictional engagement With said and bearing means interposed be- 10 The foregoing specification signed by me,

this 2nd day of July 190 8 AUG'USTE CHA'RVIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN STUTZ, H. 0. (10x12. 

